After dinner wrapped up and Kansas State’s outgoing senior football class was officially welcomed into the Golden Cats fraternity, the speeches ended and a six-minute tribute video played — players from the seven-year Chris Klieman era thanking the coach who helped shape them into better men. Then, wearing a purple quarter-zip and gray slacks, the 58-year-old Waterloo, Iowa native quietly stepped forward from the shadows of the Shamrock Zone on Friday night. More than 100 former players from multiple decades rose to their feet, applauding as he approached the podium.
Klieman accomplished plenty at K-State. He succeeded a legend, helped establish the Four Core Values, delivered bowl victories, and guided the Wildcats to the 2022 Big 12 title. During one impressive stretch, only six teams in the nation—Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan and K-State—won at least nine games in three straight seasons. Five years earlier, he had also launched this very ceremony, a tradition honoring outgoing seniors as part of the Golden Cats, now a database of roughly 1,400 former players.
So as the applause echoed through the Shamrock Zone, backed by the evening sky outside Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Klieman walked to center stage. Skylar Thompson, Cooper Beebe, Jordy Nelson, Marcus Watts, Josh Freeman, Brooks Barta, VJ Payne, Taylor Poitier and many others stood among the crowd, paying tribute to the coach who left North Dakota State after four national championships, was hired by athletic director Gene Taylor on December 10, 2018, and retired on December 3, 2025 after a 35-year career that placed him among the winningest active FBS coaches with at least a decade of experience.
“I’ve been blessed to be part of so many championship teams,” Klieman said. “Seven national titles, bowl wins, a Big 12 Championship — that wasn’t a career, it was a dream. I’m proudest of seeing these guys become great fathers, husbands, community members and leaders. That shows we did things the right way.
“Here’s my challenge to the 2026 class: When you’re part of football, coaching or playing, you’re in the top 1% of the world. Everyone wants to do what you do. But when it ends — and it ended for me, and it ended for you — how do you avoid slipping into mediocrity? Stay in that 1%. That’s my challenge, too.”
As applause swelled, Klieman looked left. About 30 feet away, leaning against the food bar in a lavender quarter-zip, stood a 36-year-old man who lifted his head and met Klieman’s gaze.
“CK, you mean the world to me,” Klieman said. “I asked Gene Taylor if I could stay involved in some way. I don’t know what that looks like — I don’t want to step on your toes — but this place is special to my family. I want to stay connected.”
He paused.
“I love this guy, and I’ll always have his back,” he said. “So, Collin, come on.”
Collin Klein stepped onto the stage. At 8:53 p.m. on April 3, 2026, surrounded by cheering Golden Cats alumni, Klieman wrapped Klein in a long, emotional embrace.
Earlier, Klieman had recalled interviewing Klein in 2018 and immediately thinking, “That kid is special. I need him on staff.” He spoke about late-night conversations, elevating Klein to interim offensive coordinator — “and he crushed it” — and about how they both knew Klein needed to leave and return, leading him to Texas A&M for a successful two-year run. Finally, Klieman shared how, after deciding to retire, he told Taylor, “I’m out. You better call CK — he’s your next head coach.”
Now the two stood together before a crowd witnessing a rare moment in college sports: a genuine passing of the torch between two men who deeply respect each other.
“Coach, thank you. This is why you coach,” Klein said as Klieman exited the stage. “In 2019, when we talked in your office, you reignited my confidence and passion for people. You’ve impacted my life more than you know. You’re one of the most genuine people I’ve ever met. You believed in me before I’d ever coordinated an offense, and I believed you.”
Klein reflected on his offensive success: in 2022, ranking top 10 in 11 categories and second all-time with 5,863 total yards; in 2023, finishing second all-time with 445.2 yards per game and posting K-State’s highest scoring average since 2012, the season he led the Wildcats to No. 1 in the nation and earned a Heisman Trophy finalist spot.
“The moments on the field, in the locker room, after games — I wouldn’t trade them for anything,” Klein continued. “Our bond has always been real and honest. I love you. Thank you for what you’ve done for this place I care so deeply about. You embodied what it means to be a Wildcat and set the standard incredibly high. I’m following a legend. I hope you stick around, because I’ll need your help keeping this program where it belongs.”
Klein played for and coached under one legend, Bill Snyder, then coached under another, Klieman. Now he leads his own staff and his own players through his first spring practice, about 150 days from running onto the field as head coach for the first time.
As Klein finished, the stadium lights illuminated Bill Snyder Family Stadium — the home where every man in the room once played under the 16 Goals for Success or the Four Core Values. K-State now turns to Klein, a man who embodies both better than nearly anyone to come through the Vanier Family Football Complex.
“That tradition we get to carry on is special,” Klein said. “Traveling the past couple years showed me how different this place is. The K-State brand, the relationships — they’re unique. If you’ve coached or played here, you’re built differently. This place sees the game through a championship lens.
“Thank you for laying the foundation. We’re going to keep pushing it forward. Go Cats.”
